Video Above: Navy Sees Stealthy, AI-Enabled 6th-Gen Fighter to Come After F/A -18
By Kris Osborn – Warrior Maven
(Washington, D.C.) What began as a concept years ago, followed by extensive prototyping and demo efforts, has now come to life .. The Navy’s new carrier launched drone refueled an F-18 in flight, marking a sizeable step forward in the Navy’s multi-year development of a first-of-its-kind platform intended to massively extend the attack range for carrier-based fighter jets, extend dwell time and enable carriers to project power from much greater standoff distances.
The MQ-25 Stingray conducted its first ever “aerial refueling operation” between a drone and manned fighter from an airport in Illinois, a Navy statement said.
“During the flight, the receiver Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet approached the Boeing-owned MQ-25 T1 test asset, conducted a formation evaluation, wake survey, drogue tracking and then plugged in with the unmanned aircraft. T1 then successfully transferred fuel from its Aerial Refueling Store to the F/A-18,” a Navy report explained.
The service is now collecting data on performance, guidance technology and control mechanisms fundamental to the process with a mind to considering needed software upgrades in the future, Capt. Chad Reed, program manager for the Navy’s Unmanned Carrier Aviation, said in the Navy statement.
“Testing with T1 will continue over the next several months to include flight envelope expansion, engine testing, and deck handling demonstrations aboard an aircraft carrier later this year,” the report adds.
